EITTTS Returns!

Everything
I
Tough
Turns
To
Shit

It's baaack...

Let's recap. We bought the new TV. We had to have a DVD "up-convert" player too, of course. It was inexpensive, but is supposed to take your 'normal' DVDs and make them HDTV quality. We got a universal remote that does everything except pop the popcorn - you program it with your computer.

I get everthing hooked up. It all works - except - the DVD player skips. WTF? Skips? Yes. Every few seconds it blinks quickly, then after about six blinks, it goes black for a few seconds. The satellite guy tried to tell me this was the way it would be and gave me some techno-description for why. Sorry. I'm just techno to think he's nuts. This is not the way it will be.

I go back to Big Box where we bought our stuff. Talk to the guy in the department we bought it. Of course, the same guy wasn't working today, but this guy looked half-way intelligent. He says, that's not right (duh) and bring it back to exchange, must be broken.

After work yesterdayI take DVD player back, exchange for exact same one, heading home with thoughts of a quick install and a few hours of WoW afterwards. Not to be. For some reason, my i-net wasn't working, so I stopped to see if that could be fixed. I'd been having issues with them changing my account around and they were having trouble getting it to re-do itself and let me back into the system. I take the time to call them.

At some point, tech guy says, "go turn of the modem, and the computer, wait 30 seconds and turn them back on". Kiss of death, I tell ya. The modem came back up, the computer tried to, but now my monitor won't do anything. (Yes, smartasses, it is plugged in.) The lights blink, but I can't get it to show a picture. At all. Nada. Nothing. Zip. Zilch. I unplugged and plugged back, I re-hooked to computer, I tried everything. It's toast. Well shit. Now I have to let the tech guy go (knowing when I call back it will be another 30 minute wait listening to something from the disco age).

I ponder this and call Hubs to ask him to bring his monitor home so I can try it. Okay, that's settled, he'll do it.

I go downstairs and proceed to hook up the new DVD player. Putting in a brand-new DVD, I wait for the picture to come up... and...blink.Blink. Blink. Blink. NO! Tearing chunks of my hair out I run for the phone and call the Big Box guys and after a long discussion of cables and DVDs and TVs... oh, wait... TV! This TV won't work with this DVD player. WTF? You mean they couldn't tell us that the day we were in there buying all of this stuff at the same time??

Hubby comes home. I take his monitor and try to hook it up to my computer. They're both Dell. They won't hook up. They both are male. Okay, I can handle this. I'm on my way to Big Box with the DVD player, so I'll just pick up an adaptor.

Heading across town (again) I race into Big Box and zip right up to the return counter without any hesitation. Then I must explain to the service person that the DVD player I brought in earlier really wasn't broken, and this one isn't either, but that I must exchange it for another one. She looked at me like I was crazy. I don't suppose the missing clumps of hair, the excess caffeine I ingested, and the look in my eye that Hubby says I get when I'm "on a mission" did much to change that opinion.

I flew to the computer department and, lo and behold, there was a package of adaptors. Several, as a matter of fact. For $12. This I could handle. Off to the Home Theater department where the nice young man I'd previously spoken to was a dinner, but the other nice young man who was there seemed to know what I wanted.

Home.

Downstairs, I hooked up the new DVD player. Turn it on, put in a DVD, and hold my breath. The picture came on the 52" screen in glorious color and HD-TV quality... leaving Hubby to watch "Batman Begins" in perfect blink-free viewing. I still need to re-program the mega remote, but that can wait another day.

Upstairs, I tear open my package of adaptors and pray this will solve the problem and I will be able to make some progress. It didn't happen. The adaptors wouldn't work with this cable. Fuck.

This afternoon I'm heading back to Big Box with my adaptors to return. Hubby has taken his monitor back to his office (he must have his i-net) and I possibly will purchase a new monitor with the stipulation that if this is not the problem I will be able to bring it back. I will take it home and (with luck) it will work and I will then be able to get on the phone for my 2 hour holding-talking-holding session with the internet tech support people and I will get my internet back at home. Keep your fingers crossed.

It isn't even a full moon...